Some Body Parts Feel Better to Scratch Than Others

New data says itchy ankles are the most satisfying to scratch.

Ahhh scratching an itch—is there anything better? Well interestingly, how good a scratch feels depends where the itch is on your body. A study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, found that ankle and back itches are most intense. But the pleasure of scratching an ankle lasted longer than other spots. That might be why skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis tend to be worse on backs and ankles—they’re more intense and oh-so-good to scratch. The goal? To develop an itch treatment that gives the pleasure of relief without damaging the skin. We hope it’ll work for mosquito bites too!

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